What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dracut	Hampton
People
Population	32,574Highest	16,426Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dracut and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S.	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,628±$94Lowest 15% above U.S.
	Dracut and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.